So That Others Don't Have To
by Adaon
Summary: It's what Heero always believed in, making sacrifices himself so that others wouldn't have to feel the pain he would.
1. The Price?

Chapter 1: The Price?

July 20th AC 197 0800hours Outside the Capital Building (Senate)

It was a media frenzy, today the Senate Judiciary Committee would begin the hearings on war crimes. Beginning with the Gundam Pilots. Families of fallen soldiers were demanding the Gundam Pilots be held accountable for there "war crimes." It wasn't all bad news for the Gundam pilots, most people were indifferent and thought they deserved a fair trial; some even went farther and were outright supporting the Gundam pilots. The two most notable supports were the new foreign minister Relena Darlian, and a member of the Judiciary committee, Sylvia Noventa.

Inside Sylvia's office…

"I don't like it Greg, the committee already has made up it's mind, without anyone but the Foreign minister to speak up for them the pilots are going to have their reputations lynched."

"Her support isn't anything to slouch out, between the two of you a lot of attention has been drawn to the good that the Gundam pilots did. But you're right, without any legal representation the committee is going to try everything it can to tear them down."

"So what's stopping the former Alliance Judge Advocate General from representing them?"

"Aside from the huge conflict of interest of my sister being on the committee? I'm only going to represent someone who approves of me being their legal counsel. And by the way I was only the acting JAG."

"Still isn't there anything you can do for them?"

"There is, and I'm going to do it."

"What is it?"

"Nothing you need to worry about for now, just be ready to make a motion to end the investigation into the Gundam pilots."

"You think it has a chance of passing? It will be 6-3, with both know that."

"After today every member of the committee is going to be unanimously against a further public investigation of the Gundam pilots."

"I'd like to see how you are going to pull that one off."

"I doubt it, but you will, now if you'll excuse me, I have to go take care of some things, and you have a committee to get to."

"Alright, good luck Greg."

Outside the Senate building

There was a mass of reporters, cameras, and microphones outside, asking questions and getting comments by anyone who so much as looked towards the building. Then something happened which got everyone's attention. A young man, about 18 came out dressed in a green tank top and black shorts. Anyone who had seen him before knew exactly who they were looking at instantly. Since he walked out of the senate building he had everyone's attention, and reporters began throwing out questions right and left. Once he was sure that he had the full attention of the crowd he began to speak.

"My name is Heero Yuy, at least that was the name given to me at the start of Operation Meteor, the launching of the Gundams and sending them to earth. I never knew my original name or any family, since the time I was given the name Heero Yuy I have used it, mainly during the wars. I was the pilot of Gundam 01, named 'Wing Gundam' and I was the pilot who attacked the alliance leaders shuttle which included Marshall Noventa. I can't go back and correct the mistakes I made, but I can offer my apologies to all the families.

"Later I was the pilot of Wing Zero, and I take full responsibility for all the actions of it. The Gundams have all been destroyed and the other Gundam pilots are dead. There was a flaw in the Gundams' design, which exposed to pilots to radiation; this flaw was corrected in Wing Zero, which is why I am the only surviving pilot. The remains of both the pilots and their Gundams' were flown into the sun, I have sent proof of everything I've said to both the Senate and the Preventers. I wish that all of you will continue with the peace we fought for, and they died for. There is nothing left for me to say now, except that with my own hands' I will remove the last trace of the Gundams."

Without he took out a syringe needle, and injected his arm. Everyone witnessing his speech, now witnessed as his heart stopped and he collapsed to the ground. A Preventer who was nearby quickly ran up and checked the pulse and breathing of the fallen pilot, shaking his head he announced to all that the pilot was dead. The Preventers took away the body and it was announced within two hours the identity of the pilot was confirmed, and the last of the Gundam pilots was officially pronounced dead.

Shortly after that, a tearful Sylvia Noventa moved to close the hearings into the Gundam Pilots. The motion passed unanimously.


	2. Is This for Real?

Chapter 2: Is this for real?

On L4 at the Winner Mansion

Three hours ago, the television was off. There wasn't anything new being said; the networks were all replying the suicide of pilot 01 Heero Yuy. There were interviews of family of those killed by Gundam Pilots. Some stated relief that there was closure to everything, some wanted all the evidence of the pilots' deaths to be realized to prove it was over. Some still wanted the pilots labeled as war criminals even in death, others didn't believe that the pilots were really dead, and still other now felt sorry for the pilots believing their punishment shouldn't have been death. Public reactions were split, most believing the pilots didn't deserve death, and others felt sorry for pilot 01, his suicide leaving a large impact. Political analysts' theories on what would happen next. Some expecting an end to all the war criminal investigations, others said it would only ignite new outrage against war criminals and cause further investigations. But for the six people gathered at the Winner residence, the only thing that mattered was a friend was dead.

There was Duo, the first of the pilots to meet Heero. He had always admired Heero's determination, although he never saw Heero as perfect he knew that Heero always seemed to find his way to what was right in the end. And the man was just flat out indestructible, or at least he had always seemed that way.

Next was Trowa, the one who had watched over Heero when he was in a coma. He probably had a greater admiration for Heero then anyone, he saw Heero make a decision to protect the colonies at the cost of his own life without any hesitation. And now again he had seen Heero choose to give his life, but this time to protect the other pilots.

Quatre was feeling the same pain in his heart that he did when Heero had self detonated Wing. He admired Heero for his kind heart, the cold shell exsisted to aid Heero in his choosen mission; protecting others and without fear taking on anything he thought would help to spare others.

Wufie still had his deep sense of Justice and Honor. He had recently gained a new admiration for Heero when he found how deeply those same principles ran for Heero. Although he was angry and sad over his friends' sacrifice, he probably understood it better then anyone. In truth he had thought of turning himself in if he thought it would help, but a trial would have called to much attention to the Gundam pilots. What Heero had done might have been the only way of stopping the mess that had been growing.

Hilde and Cathrine didn't know Heero as well as the pilots did, but both still head him in high regard. Cathrine who had seen him near death and helped him recover admired how he could seemingly overcome anything. Hilde at first had just admired Heero for being a Gundam Pilot who was fighting for the colonies. Then her admiration grew when she had seen him throw himself in front of Lebria for the sake of peace.

At first they didn't want believe it, thinking that somehow what they witnessed wasn't true, but after calling Dr Sally Po who had identified the body for the preventers, their fears were confirmed. Pilot 01, codename Heero Yuy, the one who had been more then willing to give his life to save others, was dead.

Duo was the first to speak, "I can't believe he did it, how could he just throw away his life like that?" 

Trowa responded "It's what Heero always believed in, making sacrifices himself so that others wouldn't have to feel the pain he would."

"He still didn't have to kill himself! They would never have found us out, the only ones who could identify us have all kept quiet and had no reason to give us up."

Quartre now joined the conversation "It may not have been that simple Duo…"

"What are you talking about Quatre? I'm the only one who was even at a real risk, Oz got my photo around, but you and Trowa never got identified by Oz, and Wufie being in the preventers has no problem being hidden from the public eye."

"You weren't the only one at risk, if an effort was made to find us they would go after anyone who was known to have contact with a Gundam Pilot, and who's at the top of that list?"

"So he killed himself to protect Relena? That guy had a strange way of helping people. But why didn't he at least tell anyone about what he was going to do?""

"Because I needed to be sure that if you were around others that your reactions would be spontaneous."

In unison the six of them asked in disbelief "Heero?"


	3. The Act?

Chapter 3: The Act?

A/N Ch. 4 won't really be necessary to the story, I just wrote an angst story and so I got sappy in writing 4, and it's 1XR. This chapter will explain everything that happened so like I said 4 isn't really necessary if you don't feel like reading it.

Duo walked up the Heero, Punched him, then hugged him. "Don't you ever do that again!"

Quatre hesitantly asked "Heero? What's going on, how are you still alive?"

Wufei added "Sally told us she confirmed you as being dead, how can you possibly still be alive?"

After prying Duo off, Heero answered "Sally confirmed someone who looked like me. He was a death row inmate that was executed 2 days ago, a little makeup, a haircut, and a set of color contacts later and I had a double. If Sally had preformed a full autopsy she would have found it wasn't me, but the looks, the speech, and the potassium in the blood stream was enough to convince her."

Trowa was curious to say the least about how Heero had managed to pull this off "I assume that you actually made that speech, so how did you fool everyone and make the switch?"

"The shot was just Saline Solution, I faked the collapse, the 'Preventer' that pronounced my death was a friend who was in on it; so was the ambulance crew. Once I was on, I dressed as one of the paramedics and when we reached the hospital the body that was pulled out was that of my double."

"How does your plan work out from here?"

"The body is currently being cremated due to mixed up paperwork. As for myself, dyed and cut hair, and a mustache later, no one but the people who know me will be able to recognize me."

"Just how long have you been planning this anyway?"

"Shot notice, only the past 4 days when a friend told me about the inmate that was about to be executed. Before that I was going to turn myself in and take all the blame for the Gundam Pilots."

"But, you weren't the one to make those mistakes, Wing Zero was me…"

"The politicians would have had the choice of blaming the one they had and being heroes that kept the people safe, or have the one that did it is still at large and they have no idea who; causing public panic."

"Is it really going to stop now?"

"It's the same principle, accept that the pilots are dead, or cause panic by still looking for them."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I still have a few loose ends to tie up, but starting in the fall 'Aidan Lowe' will begin teaching at L1's Heero Yuy University in the Computer Science department."

"Sounds like an interesting class, hey wait a minute, when did you get a degree?"

"I was in distance learning throughout the war, I finished it up rather quickly in the past year."

"So while you were still going around from school to school…?"

"I earned a Doctorate degree, I wasn't exactly in school for the education."

"You're really something else Heero, so what's Relena got to say about all this."

Heero was silent.

"You mean you didn't tell her yet?"

Heero mumbled something about 'next stop'

"Well good luck man, and don't loose touch now." 

Heero nodded and left.


	4. Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 4: Where do we go from here?

On earth at the Peacecraft Estate, Relena was alone in her room, crying over the fallen pilot. "Heero… why did you have to do that?"

"You should shed tears for me, and I did it to protect the other pilots."

Relena turned to face the man who had said those words, she was shocked to see Heero standing before her. "Heero, but … how?"

"I orchestrated a fake death to stop the investigations."

Relena then slapped him "and It didn't occur to you to mention this ahead of time!?"

"I was busy planning it, and you've been in nonstop meetings since I decided to do it."

Relena was now over the shock of seeing him, and was now more glad that he was alive, "Heero, I don't ever want to loose you like that, please stay this time."

"I'm going to L1 next month to start teaching computers at a university."

"Do you really have to go?"

"No."

Relena paused and looked at Heero as if he'd grown a second head, "you don't?" He shook his head. "Then… why?"

"I needed something to do with my life, it's a chance for me to just go and do some simple good."

"Isn't there something you could do here?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Are you saying this is up to me?"

"Are we going to keep asking each other questions?"

She laughed lightly, "I suppose we don't have to, but wouldn't it have been easier for you to just leave without coming to see me?"

"Probably, but I haven't lied to you before and I don't plan to start now."

"Well I do have one more question before you go Heero, what is there between us?"

"At the moment, friendship maybe, mutual admiration possibly."

"Is that all it's ever going to be, I don't want to spend my life wondering what could be."

"As a solider, I was trained to kill my emotions, so I wouldn't feel remorse or hesitation about what I did. From the time I was twelve until the night of your school dance, I never experienced any hesitation."

"So I'm just a distraction that makes you hesitate?"

"No, you're the one person that ever broke through. For that I admire you more then anything. I told you once, I'm nothing compared to you, It's still true."

"I'm not sure what to say to that, by the way your mission was a success the Judiciary Committee dropped the investigation. By the way, I'm dieing to know how you pulled this whole thing off."

With a half smirk he answered "Bad choice of words, The Preventer who took charge was Greg Noventa, he was in on this and orchestrated a switch of bodies, the one that was pulled out at Preventer Headquarters was murder who was executed by lethal injection 36hours earlier. Which is why the Tox. Screen they did showed up like it did, and Sally was to broken up to do a real identification of the body. By now Greg's made sure the body is ashes, and he'll make sure the deaths of the other Pilots are confirmed as well."

"So Sylvia?"

"She didn't know, Greg will tell her after he's sure the investigations are dead."

"Heero…"

"Hn?"

"If I asked would you stay?"

"If I stayed, I would probably end up hurting you, I don't want to do that."

"Why would you…" she began asking in a questioning tone, but he cut her off.

"What you see is what you get, my emotions aren't just buried behind I mask, I've spent years killing them, to become unfeeling and fearless. But the one I feel for the most, is the one I'm most afraid of hurting. I may never be in touch with emotions Relena, I'll never be able to be very empathetic, and all I can do is try. I don't want to hurt you, and I might do it without ever knowing I'm doing it."

"Heero, you really don't have to be perfect, no one is."

"There are few things I know about my emotions Relena, but there is one thing in regards to them that I always want you to believe."

"And what is that Heero?" She asked with a smile, they were slowly leaning into each other.

"That I love you." As their lips connected, neither of them ever felt so alive as they did at that moment.

When they briefly broke apart Relena responded, "Heero, I still believe in you, and I love you."

For the world, the Gundams were now but a legacy, something gone the way of Knights in armor and notions that the world was flat. People could no longer think of the pilots as faceless killers, instead the image and words of pilot 01 stuck with people, and the five were remembered as fighting for peace, but making some mistakes along the way. For five young men, they enjoyed the hard earned peace and quietly lived out their lives


End file.
